Every year at RootsTech the password problem is front and center. People go to a booth and try to sign up for a new partner product that uses their FamilySearch account, etc but they can’t remember their login and password for FamilySearch so they can’t enable the new product to access their information. Worse, they don’t know how to login to their email when they’re not in front of their home computer, so they can’t use the site’s password reset or retrieval option. Nothing is more frustrating than being at a world-class conference and not being able to take advantage of the specials and offerings.
If you have issues remembering your passwords, here are some sites that will help you. These sites allow you to sync your password list across multiple devices (some only do this with paid versions). So if you show up at a Genealogy Convention needing access to some obscure account, you’ll have it ready and waiting on your phone!
Keeper Security (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)
Pros
- Easy, online system to organize your accounts & passwords
- Can import account & password lists from .csv files & many browsers & other password managers
- Very secure “Keeper protects your information with AES 256-bit encryption and PBKDF2, widely accepted as the strongest encryption available.”
- Keeper supports multi-factor authentication, biometric login, and Keeper DNA which uses personal devices like your smartwatch to confirm your identity
- Free password creator
- Syncs to all devices
- Unlimited passwords for all account types
- Allows for record sharing with other people
- Has auto-fill options for your computer & devices (browser extension for computers)
- Requires a master password to open your “Web Vault”
- You can download & print a copy of all your accounts, logins, & passwords – as a PDF or .csv file
Cons
- You MUST be able to remember your Master Password — KeeperSecurity doesn’t have access to your Master Password or any of your stored data – they do have Master Password reset
- Has a Self-Destruct if the incorrect password is entered 5 times (in succession) “Self-Destruct is an important security feature that will delete Keeper records on your device if the incorrect password is entered 5 times. Self-Destruct will not delete the records stored on Keeper’s Cloud Security Vault. To retrieve your records after a Self-Destruct occurs, simply sign into your account with your Master Password, Security Answer and if applicable, your Two-Factor Authentication code. Your information will then be sync’d to your device.
Cost
- Keeper has:
- a Free Version with access on one device, unlimited password storage, autofill passwords, fingerprint & face ID login & more;
- a Student Version, 30% off other subscriptions
- a Personal Account, $30/year for 1 person
- a Family Account, $60/year for 5 people
- a Business Account
- and an Enterprise Account
I use Keeper Security’s Family account. I used the trial version and when I didn’t sign up, they offered me 50% off any yearly subscription (I went with $60/year for a family with up to 5 people). I’m happy with their service and will re-subscribe at the full price next year.
LastPass (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)
Pros
- Easy, online system to organize your accounts & passwords
- Very secure “We’ve implemented AES-256 bit encryption with PBKDF2 SHA-256 and salted hashes to ensure complete security in the cloud. You’ll create a password manager account with an email address and a strong master password to locally-generate a unique encryption key.”
- LastPass supports multi-factor authentication
- Allows you to import saved logins & passwords from Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Safari
- Free password creator
- Syncs to all devices
- Unlimited passwords for all account types
- Allows for record sharing with other people
- Has auto-fill options for your computer & devices (browser extension for computers)
- Requires a master password to open your “Web Vault”
Cons
- You MUST be able to remember your Master Password — LastPass doesn’t have access to your Master Password or any of your stored data
- If you forget the Master Password to your LastPass account, you can regain access to your account using mobile account recovery for iOS or Android, using a password hint, recovery password, SMS recovery, or reverting to an old password.
Cost
- LastPass has:
- a Free Version for 1 user with access on all devices, save and fill passwords, password generator, multi-factor authentication, and more
- a Premium Version, $36/year for 1 person
- a Family Account, $48/year for 6 users
- a Business Account
- and an Enterprise Account
Dashlane (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)
Pros
- Easy, online system to organize your accounts & passwords
- VPN secure network for Premium users only
- Dashlane supports multi-factor authentication and premium users can use U2F-compatible devices like YubiKeys
- Premium users can appoint an emergency contact who can open your account under certain circumstances
- Premium version includes Dark Web Monitoring
- Free password creator
- Only 50 passwords and one device for free accounts
- Allows for record sharing with other people
- Has auto-fill options for your computer & devices (browser extension for computers)
- Requires a master password to open your “Web Vault”
Cons
Cost
- Dashlane has:
- a Free Version for 1 user with 1 device, 50 passwords and autofill
- a Premium Version, $60/year for 1 person
- a Premium Plus Version, $120/yr
1Password (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)
Pros
- Easy, online system to organize your accounts & passwords
- Advanced Encryption with AES-256 encryption
- 1Password uses Secret Key which they say is stronger than two factor authentication
- Apps for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, & Chrome OS
- Free password creator & auditor
- Syncs to unlimited devices
- Unlimited passwords, items, and 1 GB document storage
- 365 day item history to restore deleted passwords
- Travel mode to safely cross borders – remove sensitive data from your devices when you travel & restore access when you arrive
- Has auto-fill options for your computer & devices (browser extension for computers)
- Requires a master password to open your “Web Vault”
Cons
- You MUST be able to remember your Master Password — 1Password doesn’t have access to your Master Password but they will give you a password hint if you created one.
Cost
- 1Password has:
- a Free Version for 1 user with access on all devices, save and fill passwords, password generator, multi-factor authentication, and more
- a Personal Version, $36/yr
- a Family Version, $60/yr, for up to 5 people
- a Team Version, $48/yr
- a Business Version, $96/yr
- and an Enterprise Version
After researching the different sites, I tried Dashlane and KeeperSecurity and was most comfortable with KeeperSecurity, but a lot of this will be the personal preference of individual users.
Opting to use a password manager system has simplified my life and reduced a lot of unnecessary stress. I am methodical about adding passwords to my Keeper Web Vault whenever I create or change them. I even have logins and passwords for extended family members’ genealogy and DNA accounts so I can login and help them when necessary. It’s great to be able to access vital passwords anytime, anywhere, with a phone or device.
As much as I hate to pay for one more service, a password manager has become indispensable to me so I hope if you haven’t tried out a free version, you’ll give one a whirl and see if it helps you access your passwords everywhere your family history research takes you.
Best with your family history!
